One thing I would like to do a little more of on The Eye-Dancers blog is invite other authors and bloggers to write a guest post or take part in a Q & A for the site. And you know the old cliche–there’s no time like the present (to get started)!
So if anyone would like to be featured on The Eye-Dancers blog, please contact me either through a comment on this site or by email at michaelf424@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!
Without further delay, I’d like to introduce supernatural fantasy writer Juli D. Revezzo, author of the Antique Magic series. Please welcome her and read more about her fascinating series!
******************************
“Eye of the Beholder”
By
Juli D. Revezzo
The question of perception is one that we face every day. Do we really understand what we’re seeing sometimes? Take a car wreck. Experts say that if you have five different witnesses to the event you will get five different explanations of what happened.
I think the same thing happens in other areas of life. For instance, is there someone you work with or know that you just love, and others don’t? or vice versa?
Perception, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder and is something that changes throughout life. There’s a whole field of study on it, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s patients and perception. Sit in a warm house with an Alzheimer’s sufferer who claims they’re freezing and you’ll understand what I mean. Or take a look at your car. Does it really look like the color your registration lists? (Yes, I’ve heard this question before).
The question of perception concerns even my main character, Caitlin. In my debut paranormal novel, The Artist’s Inheritance, Caitlin’s husband—an artist—gains a new patron who he, and his mentors in the art community around them, think is just the best person to know.
Caitlin, on the other hand, spends five seconds in the dude’s presence and knows something isn’t right about him. Read here and you’ll see:
*******************************************
“How much will you take for these fine drawings?”
The male voice drew her attention away from Trevor’s work. A short man with black hair and a lazy eye, dressed in a pinstripe suit and straw hat, crossed the gallery to pause at Trevor’s side. “They’re your work, are they not? Are they available?”
“Yes, they’re mine,” Trevor said. “They’re not for sale. Sorry.”
Caitlin eyed the older man. Who’s this fella?
“Don’t be absurd, Trevor.” Abby Wilkins jumped in before Caitlin could ask.
Caitlin took in his fine coat, the diamond gleaming from his ring finger. More than likely, the man could pay a fortune for the pictures. Perhaps even the chair they had stashed in the attic. Maybe they’d be rid of the stupid thing yet.
“For you, Mr. Hofter? Of course they are.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Trevor said. “They’re not for sale.”
Abby choked and pulled Trevor aside. “Are you mad, darling? Do you know who he is?”
Caitlin peered over Abby’s shoulder, seeing the man in question studying a Jeffersonian era desk. Trevor grimaced. “I can’t say I do.”
“That’s Marvin Hofter,” Mrs. Wilkins said conspiratorially.
“Who’s Marvin Hofter?” Caitlin asked.
Abby spluttered and tugged at the collar of her linen blouse. “How can you not know him?”
The name meant nothing; Caitlin could only give her a blank look. “I don’t.”
“My dear, he’s only the editor in chief of Antiques Daily.”
Now Caitlin understood why Trevor’s mentor was making such a huge deal.
Trevor touched one of the sketches, almost, Caitlin thought, as if he would protect them. “I’m sorry, no. The pictures aren’t for sale.”
Hofter pursed his lips and retrieved a card case from the pocket of his silk coat. He pulled forth an embossed business card and handed it to him. “If you change your mind, don’t hesitate to call me.” The man tipped his hat and walked away.
Caitlin kept her gaze on him. Something about him made her want to grab Trevor and move as far away as possible. Like to Siberia.
****************************************
This is something Caitlin struggles with throughout The Artist’s Inheritance; she can’t convince anyone of her feelings about Hofter, and she can’t explain why he makes her uneasy—and he’s not the only one she questions. It seems everyone around her has some sort of duality. Is she right about Hofter and the others comprising her husband’s new circle? Is there something out of the ordinary about them—something supernatural and sinister? Are they out to harm her family? How far can she trust her perception of them? Her questions continue in the follow-up, Caitlin’s Book of Shadows.
I hope you’ll take a look at the stories and find out for yourself. If you’d like to see how Caitlin’s perception lines up with her reality The Artist’s Inheritance is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords and in paperback from Createspace.
Meanwhile, it’s something to think about, right? How trustworthy are our perceptions of the world? Are you sure of what you see? Or is the world subject to the eye of the beholder?
Synopsis:
The balance between good and evil can be an art . . . or a curse.
Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor’s art. Until Trevor inherits his brother’s house, and with it, his part of a family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means she must embrace her destiny and become a witch.
Caitlin’s perception continues to develop and change throughout the rest of the series. Book 1.5, Caitlin’s Book of Shadows, is out now at Amazon, and Drawing Down the Shades (Antique Magic, Book two) is coming soon. Stay tuned! 🙂
Caitlin’s Book of Shadows
Something terrifying stalks Caitlin and her beloved Trevor. Something the bits and pieces she left claimed she had to make sense of–or so legend says. When the curator of their collection finds Caitlin’s long-forgotten diary, she wonders if it will tell the whole tale. Will it tell why Caitlin seemed so determined to tell the difference between reality and nightmare even as she continued the fight to defend her family from evil? Will it explain why she thought her world twisted? If she really became a witch?
Perhaps the answer lies between the lines of her story, one of lessons, struggles, and the hopes she carried like a warrior’s shield.
—Thanks for having me as your guest, Michael!
About the Author
Juli D. Revezzo has long been in love with writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to the works of Michael Moorcock and the classics, and she has a soft spot for the “Goths” of the 19th century. Juli received a Bachelor’s degree in literature from the University of South Florida, and her short fiction has been published in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis, Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna Station Quarterly. She also has an article and book review or two out there. But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour.
You can find all the books in the Antique Magic series at: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Juli-D.-Revezzo/e/B008AHVTLO
And you can learn more about Juli at:
Her homepage: http://julidrevezzo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Revezzo/233193150037011
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111476709039805267272/posts
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jdrevezzo
Twitter: http://twitter.com/julidrevezzo
************************
Thanks so much for the great post, Juli!
And thanks to everyone for reading!
–Mike
Eye-Dancers 